Kevin Purdy

Giorgio Milos, master barista for Italian espresso giant illy, has spent a lot of time drinking overly strong, too bitter, and otherwise bad espresso around the U.S. His main complaint? Espresso made in restaurants, and at home, needs a better grind.

Milos has quite a laundry list of complaints about how his beloved espresso is treated in U.S. coffeehouses, and his post at The Atlantic's Food Channel reads a bit like, well, an elitist rant. But he eventually gets down to basics in what can fix the taste of espresso, wherever it's made:

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An espresso, a real one, requires seven to eight grams of freshly ground coffee roasted two to three days in advance, or preserved using pressurization. The water can't be too soft, and must not exceed 200 degrees F to avoid burning, nor be lower than 190 F in order to extract all the best aromatic components.

The grind is also fundamental. A too-fine grind can create burnt coffee and extract unpleasantly bitter and woody flavors. This is why so many people describe espresso's taste as "bitter." An overly coarse grind doesn't permit full extraction of certain key elements. The proper, medium grind permits extraction of one ounce of aromatic black liquid in 25 to 30 seconds, the ideal amount of time.

No specifics offered on proper grind size, but by experimenting with results, and taking other factors into consideration, you'll probably arrive at a better brew.

What's been your own secret for better espresso, whether made on the stove or in a specialty machine?